Adagio For Diablo
by Fields of paper
Summary: Pepito decides that he wants to choose his own fate, rather than the universe choose it for him. With Todd's help, will he be able to change the course of his destiny, or will the universe simply wipe him from the earth- by force?
1. Tequila

**Chapter 1; Tequila**

Darkness had settled over the city, and electricity took the sun's place for the evening. Pepito walked towards the convenience store, his sneakers splashing in the new puddles that collected for the day, his hoodie covering most of his face, hiding his horns. His jeans were littered with holes, mostly self induced, and his pale skin shined the street lamps that had flickered on for the night.

He had decided not to drive that night, due to the fact that he was buying tequila, and danger wasn't really a problem to him in the streets. Being the antichrist had its advantages; powers beyond mortal comprehension had ensured his safety against the men that posed a threat to him, whoever dared to challenge him. He sighed, noting the mud on his new shoes, and walked into the store, the warmth of the room greeting him.

The store clerk was hunched over a magazine with a beer in his hand, eyes shifting to Pepito only for a moment, then returning back to the information splayed before him. The half demon noted the coffee stains all over the oiled paper, making it hard to see the cover clearly. He let the matter go entirely, walking over to the nearest shelf that was covered in assorted alcoholic beverages; he spotted the tequila quickly, and snatched three bottles of it into his arms, carrying to the checkout counter. he had plenty of bottles of it at home, even if the majority of them were only half empty, but his mother would throw a fit if he removed one of them from the liquor cabinet.

Pepito's mother was a very gentle and kind soul, one that he had always protected, even as a child. she was bright, with a love that she shared with every living creature; even with her son being the ender of the world, she loved him all the same, bringing him up in the kindest and most supportive of ways. He wondered why she had chosen his father as a husband, being the devil and all. Pepito had only seen his father's human form once; a tall and slender man, with broad shoulders and beautiful red eyes. His hair was slicked back, and his features looked chiseled, almost stone, like a Greek statue that he had once seen in a museum. Surely his mother had known then that his father was the prince of darkness; but she was so kind, and gentle. They seemed like such an odd mix, and it almost drove Pepito to question his mother as to why she had married him.

Pepito was snapped out of his thoughts when the clerk held out his hand, waiting for his payment fee on the tequila. The teen handed him the money that he dug out from his pocket, and walked out of the store, into the brisk air of the outside world. The night was cold to him, despite being summer; it had just rained, and being the antichrist, his temperature was a few degrees higher than most individuals.

Not that it mattered. Pepito sighed, walking in the rain spattered streets, with the brown paper back tucked in his arms. It had handles, but he didn't want to risk it falling and the tequila bottles shattering. It cost him over a hundred dollars for three bottles, and he had enough smarts to not risk breaking the glass.

The teen rounded the corner out of the parking lot, pulling his hood further over his forehead, covering the nubs of his horns as the rain began to pick up again. It was odd to have rain the summer, especially with such dry temperatures, but he figured that it was sheer dumb luck; it had rained on his school's graduation ceremony, almost ruining the entire event, but luckily it had stopped before the certificates had been passed out to each student. Pepito took his rather quickly, looking at his mother in the audience as she sat alone, clapping like all the other parents. His father didn't come; he never came to his sons' school events. Pepito almost wished that his father would at least consider doing so; he knew it was because of business in hell (literally,) but it didn't stop him from wishing different.

The half demon made it to a small, beaten up house in the middle of an old neighborhood. It was Todd's house. Pepito smiled, seeing as there were no lights on, and he stepped onto the muddy lawn, making his way to the back yard. The gate was locked from the other side, so with one arm and slick shoes, he climbed with the metal poles that lined either side of the stained wood. The boards were sharp, close to rotting, and as he hopped over (being careful not to drop the bottles in his arms,) he could feel splinters lodging themselves within the surface of his palm.

he made it to the bottom, ignoring the wood bits within his hand, and looked up at Todd's window; it was dark, and he knew that Todd was asleep- he could faintly see a fan rotating within, due to his incredible vision, and he smirked.

Pepito looked to the pool that dipped into the ground a few feet from where he stood, and cringed at the sight; it was half full, the water a sickening green, and he figured that most of the water was from the rainfall that they had that day. Todd's parents hadn't bothered to clean it since last summer, and it the lack of care was clearly shown. Pepito walked away from it, tearing his eyes away from the filthy water, and walked towards the backdoor.

It was dark inside, but Pepito could see the passed out form of Todd's mother in the old arm chair, with an orange prescription bottle in her hand. There were a few pills on the floor beside her, the majority of them crushed, and Pepito rolled his eyes at the sight. That woman was pathetic, and he wondered how Todd even lived with that woman, let alone called her 'mommy'. The young prince took hold of the door handle and gave it a sharp turn, almost scratching it with his claws, and groaned to the fact that it was locked.

He stood at the door for second, biting his lower lip as the cogs within his mind attempted to come up with a solution. He could use magic to unlock it, but that would alert his father, and he would risk waking up both Todd's mother and father (if he was even asleep.) If he broke the lock, it would be leaving evidence that he had been there, and Todd would get yelled at. He cursed under breath and walked away from the door, looking up at Todd's window from where he stood.

Lightning flashed in the sky, and a crack of thunder followed, rumbling and dying away as the rain began to fall harder. Pepito sighed, pushing back his hood and setting the bag on the ground; it had almost melted away from the rain, but Pepito managed to keep his grip on it during the trip over to Todd's house.

The half demon rolled up his sleeves, and removed his shoes, putting them in the shrubs at the base of the house. The concrete was cold and slick with rain water, and Pepito rolled up his pant legs partly, sighing as the rain soaked all his clothes. He was going to have to ask Todd for another set.

Red eyes shifted up the wall with uncertainty, and he reached down within the soiled paper bag and unzipped his hood pocket, placing the glass bottles within. It was a tight and almost impossible fit, but he managed to zip it up, the bottles kept safely within. With teeth bared, the antichrist lunged at the wall, his claws digging into the wood, sending splinters with his hands once again. He sat still for a second, taking in his position, and he began to climb. His toes could handle the stress, those claws being sharper than the ones on his hands, due to the fact he never used them, but his hands were beginning to bleed. It didn't bother him too much- but the healing was going to hurt like hell.

Pepito made it to the window safely, and peered into the glass for a moment; a large lump under the covers that served as Todd didn't move, signaling that he was asleep. Pepito undid the window's latch, and pushed it open with a mighty shove.

Todd stirred for a moment as Pepito climbed in through the window, his breathing hard, and he moved again. With wide eyes, he stared as the half demon pulled himself into the room, clawing at the carpet, and he rubbed his nose soundly. "Pep..? What are you doing here? It's so late.." he said, glancing at his alarm clock, realizing that it was almost two in the morning. Pepito hit the floor with a thud, breathing hard, his clothes soaked. Todd climbed out of bed, watching as the antichrist stood from his previous position on the floor, and smiled.

"_Hola, Amigo." _he said, running clawed hand through his dripping hair. Todd rubbed his eyes, blinking, not quite believing that his best friend was here so early in morning. He eyed Pepito's bulging front pocket, but decided not to question it; if it had anything to do with him, he'd find out eventually.

"Why are you here so early?" he yawned, stretching his arms forward, almost hitting his friend. Pepito scratched his neck, leaving red marks that disappeared seconds later; Todd remembered that he had incredible healing powers, and he sighed, staring as Pepito unzipped his pocket and pulled out three glass bottles of tequila, grinning wildly.

"Since we graduated today, I figured that we should celebrate." He said, setting two of the containers on his tattered nightstand, and he popped the cork on the other with one of his sharp nails. "Don't you think, _Amigo_?" he mused, taking a swig of the tequila; the taste was sour on his deprived taste buds, but they adjusted as the tartness settled on his tongue.

Todd stood still, completely in shock at what possessed his friend to bring alcohol to his house. "Are you crazy? You're going to get me in trouble!" he whined, watching as Pepito took another drink, licking his lips afterwards.

The half demon rolled his eyes, letting out a low scoff, and put a lazy arm around Todd's frail shoulders. "_Amigo_, do you honestly think that your parents will care?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at his friend. Todd fidgeted with his sleeves, looking anywhere but at Pepito, and sighed.

"No…" he mumbled, finally meeting a pair of red eyes with a shy face. Pepito handed him the bottle, which he took with shaky hands, and eyed it cautiously. There was a pat on his shoulder as he raised the bottle to his lips, allowing the sour liquid to pour into his mouth, splashing out on his tongue. He made a face at the taste, but swallowed it down quickly as he handed the bottle back to his smirking friend. He coughed slightly, but he didn't complain. He looked over as Pepito took another drink, noticing his dripping clothes, which had soiled his carpet. He sighed, rubbing his eyes again, more so to the fact that it was something to do with his hands, and crossed his arms.

"Pep, you're soaked." he groaned, sitting down on the bed. "And you don't have any shoes on." he pointed out, eyeing his clawed toes.

"I had to leave them outside so that I could climb up here. And it's storming outside, if you haven't noticed." he said, and Todd could almost hear the implications of a growl in that tone.

"You need to change if you're going to sit. My carpet is soaked as it is, thanks to you." he said, raising an eyebrow at the half demon. Pepito rolled his eyes and muttered something inaudible. Todd sighed, switching on his nightstand lamp, and shuffled his way to his dresser, where he pulled out a t-shirt and jeans. He handed them to Pepito, who eyed them suspiciously, but took them with a silent gratitude.

"What, no underwear?" he said, almost serious, despite the grin on his face. Todd rolled his eyes, smiling as he took the tequila bottle from his friend, looking away as he changed. The switch of clothes was quick, and he threw his old pair into the hamper, sitting on the bed next to Todd. The jeans were a bit tight, but he didn't mind; they were better by far than wet clothes.

Todd forced himself to take another drink from the bottle, and maneuvered the foreign liquid to the back of his tongue and swallowed roughly, his face cringing at the taste. He passed the bottle to his friend, who took it with greedy fingers. He watched as Pepito drank some of it down, his eyes dazed, and he shook his head, making a face of distaste.

"How do you drink that?" he asked, surprised by the stiffness of his voice. Pepito shrugged for a moment, staring at the label of the bottle, and smiled, looking at Todd with hazy eyes.

"You get used to it." he said, chuckling. Todd rolled his eyes and nudged his friend in the shoulder.

"How?" he questioned, a grin making its way to his lips. It was almost like a game they played together; conversing about what they already knew.

"You just do. You learn to like it, I guess." Pepito laughed, sitting up next to his companion. He nudged him, and was rewarded with a glance. The half demon smiled, holding up the bottle, but not to offer. "Happy Graduation, _Amigo_." he said, taking a gulp of tequila and handing the bottle to Todd. He took it, eyeing the liquid, but drank a mouthful anyway, despite the taste and burning in his throat.

"Happy Graduation, Pep."

X

Two hours had passed, and the majority of the tequila was gone. Pepito held the last amount of it in his hands, staring at the wall, lost in thought, and he huffed. "Todd, I think I'm drunk…" he gurgled, looking over at his companion, who had only had a few sips of the tequila.

Todd looked over at him, smiling with a cockiness that was almost uncharacteristic, and let out a low laugh, shaking his head. He had been writing in his journal, ever since Pepito had become lost in his drinks, and had almost forgotten that he was there. "that's what happens when you drink three bottles of tequila, Pep." he said, looking back down at his notebook.

Pepito lifted a pointed index finger at his friend, his eyes hazy with alcohol, and licked his lips. "Excuse me, _amigo_, but it was two and a half. Jeez…." he spat, swirling the remaining contents of the bottle to emphasize the point. Todd laughed under his breath, eyeing Pepito as he sat up next to him, a look of concern on his face. "Todd?" he asked meekly, and Todd hadn't bothered to look up.

"Hm?"

"You know I'm the antichrist, right?" he asked, cringing as he scratched the side of his face, tapping his foot anxiously. Todd looked up at him with concerned eyes, and closed his notebook, putting it to his side.

"Yes.." it sounded like a question, almost.

"Well… I've been thinking, _amigo_, and maybe… maybe it's not all that it's cut out to be." he said, almost breathlessly. Todd nodded, showing that he was in fact listening, and Pepito continued; "I've been thinking about it a lot, about what the antichrist is supposed to do, rain fire and hell over the earth and rule the world and stuff… and I don't want to.

"I like it here. I like the craziness, I like the weirdness and the stupid people and all the things that make this world disgusting. I like how you can see heaven and hell in one person and with the exception of a few, not whether they've earned either yet. I love this world, and all it's flaws, and I… I don't want to destroy it." he said, sniffling. Todd stared at him in surprise, watching as Pepito gazed at the floor, spilling his heart out to him. Pepito was not the one to confess feelings or thoughts, even when drunk. Todd considered the amount of bravery he had in order to tell him this. "I don't want to do this shit anymore. I don't want to be the bad guy who will make the world not pretty in all the weird ways. I don't… I don't…" he held, looking for the right words, and his eyes widened in realization. "Fuck, I don't want to be the antichrist." he said, heaving in a breath.

Todd nodded thoughtfully, staring at his friend, who refused to look at him. "Do you have to be the antichrist?" he asked after a long moment. Pepito looked up at him for a moment, almost as if he didn't know how to answer the question.

"Yes. No.. Maybe. I don't know." he whined, rubbing the lobe of one of his pointed ears. "I.. I've always been told what I'm destined to do, so I don't think I have the choice.." Todd stared at him for a moment, seeing the panic in the antichrist's eyes, the heat rising to his face.

"You've always been able to choose what you wanted to do, right? you chose to come to my house, you chose to bring alcohol, and you chose to get drunk." he breathed, placing a bony hand on Pepito's thin shoulder. "You can choose what you want to do with your life."

In all the time that he had been friends with the antichrist, Todd had never seen such a fearful streak in his friend. Pepito had always been the confident and sure one- he walked tall, almost proud of himself, with his chin held high. He was always certain of what he did. Despite the hatred that the other's had shown him in Hi Skool, he walked the halls as if he had claimed them as territory.

Right now, he looked like a frightened child, despite the fact that he smelled like booze. Todd sighed at his sorry state as Pepito took in a deep breath. "I… I guess you're right. I… I've never thought of it like that, but you're right.." he let out a long held breath, the tension visibly leaving him; his shoulders slumped forward and his eyes became hazy and content again with tequila.

"Pep, I think we should probably talk about this in the morning, when you're sober." Todd said, wondering if his friend was even going to remember the importance of the conversation.

Pepito looked at him in his drunken state, the tequila bottle on the floor, forgotten and discarded, and he smiled. "Thanks, _mi amigo._"

Todd sat still for a moment, as Pepito leaned forward, red eyes half lidded, and lips parted slightly. A cold chill ran down the teenagers spine, and his eyes widened as Pepito's lips met his own. It was a sloppy kiss that tasted like tequila, and Todd had little time to respond, as Pepito pulled away quickly, collapsing onto the bed.

His face heated up, and his eyes watered. His best friend had just…. kissed him. It almost made him cringe to think about; he hoped that Pepito wouldn't remember it when he awoke the next morning.

Todd sighed, shaking away the odd feeling he had, and laid down next to him friend, who curled up almost robotically in his arms. He made a sound of contentment, leaning into the intense warmth of the half demon's body, relaxing.

The rain tumbled outside, and Todd could hear it pattering on the roof. Thunder cracked outside, and a flash of lightning filtered through his window, illuminating his room. He yawned, nuzzling his face into the pillow, his chin rested on Pepito's head. Darkness took his vision, and he soon found himself lost within his dreams, feeling as though he was falling up.

X

There was an inconsistent tapping, he knew, and it was beginning to bother him. He stirred, noticing the heat that was in his arms, and realized that it was Pepito. He could smell tequila, the scent burning his nostrils, and he crinkled his nose, opening his eyes. The tapping continued.

"Pssst! Squeegee! Wake up!"

He knew that voice. It had haunted his dreams as a child, but the fear had diminished as he got older. Still, it made him nervous to know that his maniac neighbor was at his window.

He sat up slowly, dislodging the warm body from his arms, and stretched, looking at the window. A lanky armed figure waved to him like a madman, smiling hugely, and Todd walked to open up the window for him.

"Hiya Squee!" he said, leaning his elbows on the window seal. "How've you been?" he lowered his voice to a whisper, seeing the other sleeping body in Todd's bed.

The teenager sighed, forcing himself to smile for his insane neighbor. "I've been great, Nny. I graduated today. Or yesterday, I guess." he breathed, looking over at the sleeping form of Pepito, who stirred ever so slightly in his slumber.

"That's good. I'm glad you've been taking care of yourself; I came here to check up on you. I would have come over here tunnel-wise, but it's getting thick with body parts again." he considered, and Todd felt his stomach drop and go sour. "I'll need to clean it soon…" he muttered to himself, staring at something on the window seal, until his head popped up with anticipation.

Nny had become older with age, the bags under his eyes growing, and the lines on his forehead increased in number and shape. He was in his late thirties or so, and had yet to move away from Todd's neighborhood. Todd's fear of the 'scary neighbor man' had diminished a long while ago, back in middle school, when he realized that Nny had yet to kill him.

"Hey Johnny?" he mewled, eyes flicking over at the man.

"Yeah, Squeegee?"

"Do you think that someone can change their fate?" he asked, brown eyes flicking up to the ceiling, focusing on the cracks that tattered the poor paint job.

Johnny sat in silence for a moment, thinking hard, and finally made a small sound of optimism. "Do you think someone can avoid their fate? What fate is there to avoid?" he questioned, his voice just above a whisper. "You can't stop death, and when you try, you end up dead. And covered in blood, usually. When you don't argue with death, it might not hurt you. You'll simply slip away into darkness.

"Unless you annoy me, like your Shmee did, and then I'll be annoyed at death for you! And shove a cheeto through your eyeball!" There was a crazed look in the maniac's eyes as his voice increased slightly, and Todd took a step back, swallowing. "It worked on that fucking clerk in the checkout line and it worked on Reverend Meat, so it'll work on you!

"Death can come at any moment! When you're least expecting it! You could get killed by a swarm of rabid locus, or get stabbed in the face by a pirate hook! Death is everywhere! You never know when it's coming, and you never will! Not even that cocky bear of yours; sure, you can sew 'em back up, but it's never as good as Bactine, and that bleaches the hell out of 'em!" He spat, eyes going wide, and his breathing increasing, along with the pitch of his voice.

Todd sat still, watching as his neighbor seemed to calm down, his shoulders lowering themselves a bit. He looked over at Todd, who was frozen in his steps, his eyes wide with fear. "But if you mean changing what you want to do with your life, why not? But death- never. No one can change death!" he hissed, lowering himself from the window seal slightly. "Listen, Squee, I gotta go now, since I have some business to attend to. remember, you can never elude death, but you can definitely change your scheduale." he smiled, a laugh in his voice. Todd peered over the window as Nny dropped to the ground, waving at him. "See ya later, Squeegee!" he yelled, hopping the fence into his own yard.

Todd licked his cracked lips, and swallowed. He looked to the horizon, seeing the sun's rays peeking over the houses that littered the distant hills unevenly, and sighed. Pepito was going to be up soon, and Todd knew that not even his healing powers could cure the hangover that was sure to thrash within his head. With a yawn, Todd went downstairs to fetch some water. The least he could do was make his friend feel better, so that their inevitable conversation could be clear.

X

There was the distinct sound of rain, and it was enough to keep him awake; His head hurt. No, his entire body hurt; the pain was focused on the contents of his skull, and he groaned. It was a battle field in there.

With hesitation, he cracked open an eye, seeing a form hunched over something. It was Todd, scribbling something within his notebook. He looked to the curtainless window, seeing the rain falling from the grey sky. He pulled the covers up to his chin, smacking his lips together. He could taste bile on his tongue.

"Todd?" he squeaked, sitting up slightly, regretting it soon after. With shaky hands, he clasped onto his head, moaning. "Oh, my head…" he muttered, eyes watering.

"Here," Todd whispered, holding out a glass of water and a fingerful of pills. He eyed it suspiciously, glaring back up at his friend. "If you want to get better, I'd advise you to take the pills and water, Pepi."

"But… I hate taking pills. And I'm not thirsty." His voice was whiny and meek, and it was accompanied by large gazing eyes.

"I don't care if you like them or not, pep."

"But…"

"Pepito." it was now a clear threat from him, and the half demon gave an overdramatic sigh, taking the pills within his mouth and swallowing down some water; despite what he had said, he actually was thirsty.

There was a deafening silence between the two of them, before Todd opened his mouth to speak in a shy voice; "Do you remember anything from last night?" he asked, holding his knees to his chest, looking over at the antichrist with concerned eyes. Pepito couldn't help but smile at him.

"All of it, _Amigo_." he said, taking another sip of his water, trying not to drink it too fast.

There was another long silence between them, and Todd made a small sound in the back of his throat, scooting closer to his friend. "Do you really not want to be the antichrist?" his voice was small and spineless, but there was a power in the words that made the young prince cringe.

"Not really, no." he said, cracking his neck, the sound echoing off the walls of Todd's room. "I don't want to destroy the world, or rule it either."

"You don't have to be, Pep, from what it looks like." Todd smiled hopefully, his eyes wide.

"I… I think you're right, _Amigo_. But it'll be hard. My dad is going to be pissed off about this." he sighed, running a hand through his hair and pushing the blankets down to his waist.

"What will happen?" Todd asked, crossing his legs on the bed and resting his chin in his hands.

Pepito sat in silence for a moment, thinking; his brow furrowed, and his sighed heavily, taking another sip of his water. "My dad will kick me out, and my mom will be as happy as ever. I'll become homeless… and… I don't know. I guess the world isn't going to end." he laughed, sitting up fully and placing the glass on the nightstand by Todd's bed. "I think I'm gonna do what I wanna do. If my dad wants to end the world, he can do it himself, damnit. Fuck being the anitchrist." he said, waving his hand in the air, brushing off the subject.

"You can come stay with me, if you want. I don't think my parents will notice, and I'm going to move out anyway, so you can come live with me, if you want." he said, grinning. "I'll suport you through this, Pep. You have my word on that."

Pepito looked to his companion for a moment, almost speechless. He swallowed, his mouth becoming dry suddenly, and he leaned over to pull Todd into a hug. "_Gracias, Amigo…_" he said, pulling away slightly. "You really don't mind?"

"Not at all, Pep. You know that." he smiled.

There was a moment of silence between them, something swirling in the air, and Todd blushed. "uhm… Pep? Last night… did you mean to, uh… kiss me?" he asked, tugging on his shirt sleeves slightly, nervously.

"Not while drunk, no." he said, giving an awkward smile. Todd blushed, looking down at his lap, shifting in his spot tenderly; Pepito could tell that he was uncomfortable.

The antichrist leaned forward slightly, looking at his friend in the eyes. "Was I unwelcome to do so?" he asked, his voice below a whisper. Todd swallowed, his eyes wincing almost, and he shook his head nervously.

"No, I… It was just unexpected, that's all… I shouldn't have asked… you were drunk, and I just thought…" he was rambling now, and Pepito didn't seem to hear his words, even with red eyes glued to to his friend's. "I should probably just shut up now, huh?" Todd attempted to laugh it off, smiling at something on the comforter, refusing to look at the half demon. An eerie quiet fell between them, and pepito licked his lips nervously.

"Kiss me…" he said, almost to test and see if Todd would actually do it.

The teen looked up, his face flushed red, and his eyes wide; he was frozen, at loss for words, and Pepito blinked. Todd scratched his neck, eyes searching frantically for something, anything, and Pepito sighed. "That… wasn't an order. You don't have to, _amigo_." he whispered, looking at the wall in disappointment. Todd made a shy sound in his throat, fumbling a little to sit closer to his friend.

"I… I know it wasn't." He said, leaning towards the half demon, but stopping unsurely.

Pepito looked at him for a second, leaning in to meet his lips with his own.

The kiss was soft, unlike before, when it had been rough and careless; it was incredibly warm on both sides, and Todd's face grew hot from an oncoming blush. It ended quickly, and the antichrist smiled, his pointed teeth shining.

"What does this mean, pep?" Todd mused, curiosity getting the better of him.

"What _does_ it mean, _amigo_?" he asked, laughing slightly, but there were cutting nerves behind it.

"I… I'd like to think that it means that… you care about me as much as I care about you, if that's alright." he giggled, and there was a smile in voice.

"I think you've got that for you then, Squee." Pepito said, picking at his claws nervously. A silence was passed between them, but it was not awkward or undefined.

"Come on. Let's go down stairs. I'll make you some breakfast." Todd mused, knowing full well that Pepito couldn't cook to save his life.

"That sounds great, _Amigo. Gracias._"

-A/N-

Chapter one done. yay! My first Squee/Jhonen Vasquez fic! woohoo! I'm proud of myself. oh, btw, I haven't actually read Squee yet. I ordered it a few days ago, and I've read bits and pieces, along with a ton of information, and JTHM, but not the actual Squee comic. It should be here very soon! I can't wait! also, I have no idea what tequila actually tastes like, so I guessed. I may have missed a few errors in here, so don't get too mad! I'm tired! XD anyway, please leave a review- tell me what you liked and didn't like! I may or may not write a next chapter, depending on what you guys think. Thanks for reading!


	2. Mirrors

**Chapter two; Mirrors**

Anger had always been the root of his desires, fueling his actions, but the rage he felt now was like no other; he had been betrayed, no, _deceived_, and the fact that he let it happen angered him more than anything.

Lucifer trudged the room, all the mirrors broken, along with the furniture, and his blood was boiling over rapidly. Rosemary stood in the corner, trembling. The demon stopped, leaning over the broken mirror, sighing. Within the glittering shards, he could see the face of his son, Pepito, the child's outcome of destiny different; sadness replaced his anger, and he lowered his head, balling his clawed hands into fists.

"He had so much potential. He could have ruled the world with an iron fist, by my side. He could have had it all." There was a numbness that altered within his tone, but something laced those words together; fear, perhaps? "Why would he just throw it away, so suddenly? But he chooses to go by thunder, instead."

Rosemary walked forward, dispatching herself from the corner she stood so fearfully in, and placed a hand on the demon's shoulder. There was a silence between them, cold and desperate as she searched for something to say, and the heat of his body grew under her touch.

There was a swift flash of movement, and a pain ached through the top of her scalp as he yanked her hair, holding it up to look at her properly. She let out a cry of pain, clawing at his hand, her eyes leaking tears and she whimpered. After a moment of desperate pleas, she forced herself to open her eyes and look at him; a horrible snarl had contorted his face, sharp teeth blaring, and he growled at her lowly.

"You gave me a false child! Filling him with hopes and dreams, allowing him to make friends—My plans have shattered because of you!" he screeched, throwing her by her hair and into the wall, a sickening crack echoing along the carpet; she dared to look up at him from the floor. "Pepito has no place here; and neither do you. I will find a new wife, and conceive another child, a better one, to take Pepito's place.

"I will alter it, make it stronger, harder to kill, give it a strong mind; and I _will_ have control." he hissed, a forked tongue running over razor sharp teeth. Lucifer let out a low laugh as Rosemary's head dropped, her neck unable to hold the weight, and he walked back over to the mirror, staring at his son. "Besides," he growled, the putrid sound of the demon's voice almost a whisper; "It will be fun to see Pepito again. It's been so long, with business and all.

"I'm sure he'll be _very_ happy to see me."

X

"_Amigo, _I can't do this."

"Yes you can. Just ask, at least. That's all you have to do."

"But what if she says yes?"

"Then do it."

Pepito looked awkwardly ahead of him, scratching his shoulder with nervous hands. He and Todd had decided to spend the day in the park, working on doing 'good deeds' to allow the half demon to get used to functioning in normal society. Pepito hardly ever went out; the only real person he ever talked to without a threat under his breath was Todd, and even then he had trouble conversing with him normally.

The antichrist looked to an old woman shuffling across the concrete of the parking lot, paper bags in her frail arms, and she seemed to be struggling. With weary eyes, he looked back at his friend, who gestured towards her knowingly. Dread filled him as he walked down the hill that they had decided to view from, and he made it to the parking lot with little effort.

His head was held high, and he walked over to the woman proudly, who had dropped one of her bags on the ground, the contents spilling out across the sizzling pavement. He stopped just before her, rubbing his hands together with aching nerves, and smiled down at her as she attempted to pick up her groceries.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but do you need help?" he said, a friendly ring in his voice, almost as if he was trying too hard. The woman made a sound of relief as he crouched down to pick up the oranges that had rolled out of her reach, and handed them to her.

"Oh, that would be so helpful, young ma—" he voice was caught in her throat as she met his eyes for the first time, seeing his red irises and the horns sprouting from his forehead. With trembling hands, she dropped the paper bags from her arms, the groceries falling to the ground again.

Pepito's eyes went wide as she fumbled for something in her purse; his heart began to race as he searched for something to say. "W-wait, I just want to help, I didn't mean to—"

His eyes closed shut in pain as she sprayed him with pepper spray, the liquid burning his retinas. Frantically he rubbed his eyes, hunching over as a low growl escaped him.

Something hard connected to his arm, smashing his elbow away from his side, and it redirected to his back; he hit the pavement with a thud, opening his eyes despite their horrible burning, and he let out a sound of pain. Standing over him was the woman, continually hitting the half demon with her purse, bruising his body.

He fumbled for something to say, his words coming out in short bursts as he reached forward to stop her blows; she let out a shrill scream- the beating stopped abruptly, and he looked up, seeing four long, claw-like scrapes along her arm. He had scratched her. Fear contorted in her eyes as she ran from him, screaming incoherently, only stopping to look back at her pursuer.

"Wait, lady, I didn't mean—"

"DEMON!" she screeched, as she dived into her car, driving away with fury in her speed.

Pepito huffed, standing up and brushing the dust particles off of his jeans as he watched her car dart out of the parking lot, his eyes lowering to her forgotten groceries. With a grunt, he kicked one of the oranges as hard as he could, watching it roll across the pavement until it came to a stop.

Todd appeared behind the half demon with eyes as heavy as bricks in disappointment. "Pep…"

"She was right. I am a demon." he spat, brushing past his friend in a hurry.

"Pepito, it was a stupid judgement, don't let her get you down." he said, struggling to keep up with the antichrist's pace.

"Todd, I have _horns_ and red eyes. Of course people are going to judge. I look like…" he stopped in his tracks, sighing as he lowered his head. "I look like the devil."

"Pepito, just because people judge doesn't mean you should allow yourself to not care. You can contribute to society in other ways," he started, his voice stumbling as he searched for answers to tack on the end. There was a silence as they started to walk again, Todd following the half demon like a lost puppy.

"This is stupid. I look… scary." he said, a sadness in his voice that trailed off into nothing as his pace slowed. They had made it into the park again, walking next to the creek that separated the two sides of the park.

"Look, Pep… maybe we should take a break and try again tomorrow. Maybe today just isn't your day." he said hopelessly, though his words didn't seem to match his tone.

"Yeah, whatever," the antichrist spat, the words almost growled through his whole being as they came to a stop by a small bridge; Pepito leaned up against the railing, watching the water sparkle as it passed under him, and he sighed. Todd let out a nervous laugh as he spotted the pavilion filled with people; it was a public place that people could go to for water, breaks, and other purposes.

"Pep, wait here. I'm going to use the bathroom, and then we'll head home." he said, but Pepito hadn't bothered to even turn around. Todd shuffled away hurriedly, sighing in disappointment to his friend's horrible attitude.

The water trickled below him as he watched the sun set, the rays dancing across the surface as he began to visibly pout, a perfect frown etched into his face. He listened to the birds chirping, trying to focus on anything but the harsh words that had been thrown at him before, and he heard… whispering. There were people talking about him. Mentioning his horns, his red eyes, his sickly pale skin.

Rage was beginning to settle within him, but he froze, refusing to look at them. Sharp claws dug into the steel of the bridge railing, the sound echoing around him, startling a few that passed him by. There was… crying.

Crying? he sat up slightly, his pointed ears pricked forward in alert, his eyes widening as he concentrated on the sound. It was a little girl. She was crying. Pepito scanned the area for the source, and found a little girl hunched over by the edge of the creek, her pale dress splattered with mud, her hands wiping frantically at her eyes. The half demon took in a deep breath, searching for a possible parent, but found none. With a knot in his stomach, he stepped off the bridge and approached the sobbing child, kneeling down to her level.

"Are you alright?" he asked, and she opened her eyes for a moment, staring at him, her cheeks stained with tears.

"I lost my Lucy in the river, but I can't get to her!" she babbled, pointing a tiny hand towards a small lump in the creek; a beautiful china doll covered in algae and mud floated next to a far off branch that was submerged partly, blank eyes staring up at the sky.

Pepito felt a pang of guilt in his stomach as he stared at the glass face of the doll; he knew that he could reach it with his telepathy, but the child… he sighed, looking down at her as she began to cry again, almost as if she knew. He smiled weakly, something in the back of his mind springing into play.

"Close your eyes, and you have to wish really hard for her," he said, and she looked at the doll uncertainly, a tear dropping off of her chin. She placed her tiny hands over her eyes, whimpering, and Pepito stood, holding at his hand towards the doll.

A surge of power rushed through him, channeling through his hand and towards the doll; the glass face struggled to break free from the mud, but did so in a burst of water and algae. He pulled the doll towards him, his eyes narrowing in concentration, the power pulsing from his fingertips in an assortment of transparent purples and blues.

The doll made it safely to his hand in a matter of minutes, and he smiled at it, brushing it off in an attempt to make it presentable. He looked down at the little girl and nudged her arm, holding out the china doll to her. She opened her eyes, and a smile lit up her face, green eyes going wide. With a squeal she took the figurine and hugged it tightly, her sadness completely gone.

"Thank you so much mister!" she giggled, slamming into Pepito's legs and hugging his knees tightly. She stepped back after a moment and smiled, the doll clutched tightly in her arms. "I promise that I won't let her play in the water again!"

With her dress blowing in the wind, the child ran off towards the trees, headed for the play ground. Pepito smiled, sharp teeth glinting in the setting sun, and he felt a warmth in his chest like never before. With a content grin on his lips, he walked back to the bridge, finding Todd smiling at him gleefully.

"Pepito, that was amazing!" he exclaimed, almost too loudly, and the half demon looked down at his shoes, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I made her smile." he said, a dorky smirk making it's way to his lips.

"You made her incredibly happy. You did a good deed, Pep." Todd took his wrist as they began to walk in the direction of home, his grip warm on Pepito's arm. Silence passed between them, until the antichrist laughed to himself softly.

"You know what, _amigo_? I think I'm going to like kids."

X

They made it home after the sun had settled under the horizon, the sky dim enough for the street lamps to flicker on automatically. Todd unlocked the door with the house key he carried around in his pocket, and they stepped inside the house quietly, knowing full well that his mother was out; Todd stepped into the living room, looking for any sign of his father, but there was none.

Pepito yawned, his sharp teeth glistening in the lamp light, a slightly forked tongue slithering out into view. Todd had grown used to his demon qualities when they were children, accepting it into his daily life with the antichrist. He had gotten over his horns and forked tongue rather quickly, but his sharp teeth and claws bothered him until third grade.

Todd threw his house key onto the kitchen counter, turning on the living room lights and fan; the summer heat had risen alarmingly that day, but Todd noticed that his friend seemed to be unaffected by it. The antichrist's body temperature was frighteningly high compared to that of a normal human's, and it was hard top discourage that heat.

The teen looked down at the soft mewling by his feet, and saw a small cat rubbing against his legs. With slow respect, he picked the feline up by the midsection, cradling it in his arms.

He rubbed it's ears, remembering the day that he had claimed the cat as his own; Todd had brought her home when he was in middle school, finding the tiny kitten under in the rain gutters of his front yard. He had taken it in, groomed away the mud streaks and grime, and called the little white beast Snow, the name reflecting its coat.

The cat's ears pricked forward in alert attention, shoulder blades tensing visibly; Todd loosened his grip, watching as the feline stared at something on the wall. Pepito stood next to his friend, leaning against the counter. "What do you wanna do? Watch a movie?" he asked, rubbing his hands together nonchalantly, the sound of calloused palms echoing the room silently.

Todd managed to tear his gaze away from the wall, staring at his friend, eyes widening as he was snapped out of his daze. He shook his head, blinking, and smiled. "Sure. I have a few that you might like. We could go look; they're under the—" he gasped as a pain filled his thumb, the cat lunging from his arms and onto the floor. He looked down at his hand, eyebrows furrowing with concern as he saw the blood trickling down his wrist.

Almost as if on command, Pepito and Todd looked down at the cat, who had curled before them defensively, her tail flicking back and forth furiously; a low growl came from her, deep within, her blue eyes wide.

Todd huffed, looking down at his hand. "She's never done that before…" he said, almost breathlessly as he walked into the kitchen, opening up the medical cabinet, searching for bandages. Pepito watched as he did so, his eyes turning back towards Snow. She hissed as he took a step towards her, and he held his hands up in defense as she darted across the living room, ducking past the cracked door of the basement.

The half demon sighed, walking over to his friend, eyes staring at the newly applied bandage on his thumb. "Maybe you held her wrong." he shrugged, eyebrows crawling up his forehead in assumption.

"I don't think so. She's never bitten me before. You, maybe, but not me." he said, eyes wide with concern. "Where did she go?" Todd asked, examining the living room briefly, seeing as there was no cat to be found. Pepito pointed to the slightly open door of the basement, sliding his other hand within his jean pocket.

"She ran into that door, _amigo._" he sighed, leaning against the counter, resuming his former position. "I think your cat hates me." he said, red eyes held in concentration. Todd looked over at him, an eyebrow cocked, and shook his head with disapproval.

"She doesn't hate you, Pep. She didn't hate you this morning; why should that change?" he asked, perplexed. Pepito bit his lower lip and shrugged, a slight twinge of thin shoulders, and rubbed his hands together again. "Maybe you smell weird. Why don't you wash your hands and I'll go get her out of the basement?" he said, giving Pepito no time to answer as he walked toward the door.

The half demon rolled his eyes, looking towards the metallic sink, and followed Todd to the basement.

They stood at the doorway for a moment, Todd fumbling for a light switch, and let out a long held breath when he found it. The light was dim, and almost a sickly yellow, and he walked down the steps slowly, Pepito in tow.

The antichrist crinkled his nose to the scent; it was sour and cold, an unappreciated mixture, and he swallowed. They made to the bottom, the concrete floor littered with dead cockroaches and distasteful looking puddles, and Pepito did his best to avoid them both. Todd scanned the enviroment by the dim yellow lighting that radiated from a single lightbulb that hung from the ceiling, and spotted the white cat in the far corner, next to the door that led to Nny's house.

Without hesitation he swiped the cat into his arms, ignoring the carcasses of forgotten insects, and ran a hand through its white fur. "You know you're not allowed down here," he said, and Pepito faintly wondered why any living creature would want to reside in such a morbid room.

The lightbulb above them flickered for a moment, the electric buzz of it ringing in their ears, and it darkened slightly. Pepito froze as a chill crawled up his spine, dragging out the time, and he swallowed the thickness that settled in his throat.

The cat hissed again, and jumped from Todd's arms, despite his futile attempt to hold onto the feline; they both watched as it scampered up the stairs, the sound dying away as the room became cold. Pepito knew that icy sting anywhere. His eyes went wide as a sickening crack filled the room, and his eyes dropped to his feet, looking at the puddles of filth infested water; they were beginning to freeze over.

His head shot up as he looked to Todd, who had his back against the wall defensively, and the half demon could see his breath in cloudy puffs. The lightbulb above them popped loudly, and Pepito jumped, skittering over next to his friend, his eyes going wide as Todd latched onto his arm for dear life.

It was dark, the room falling silent, and Todd was shaking. Pepito could feel it. The evil that had ruled over him, the presence that never seemed to leave, that ran within his very veins.

Todd had managed to wedge himself behind his friend, completely backed up against the corner, almost as if he were trying to go through the dusty bricks. Pepito watched the room in front of him, unable to move, his skin pricking against the severe cold that had filtered through the air. The darkness seemed to have a power of it's own; he couldn't see into it, or past the deep shades of black, and he swallowed, his own fear skyrocketing.

There was a sinister blue glow in the center of the floor, illuminating the shadows, and something seemed to boil out of it. Pepito watched as the tall and slender figure of his father emerged from the blue ring, his eyes going wide.

Lucifer towered over them both, and Todd let out a whimper as the demon snarled, green eyes latched onto his own. "Pepito. What have you done?" he hissed, the stench of his breath filling the half demon's nostrils; he had never seen his father so angry. With hesitation, he stepped forward, his stance bold and challenging; his father let out a low growl as the antichrist stared up at him with demanding eyes.

"I do what I want now. I'm not going to be your fucking slave anymore. If you want the world to end, you do it. I'm not." he spat, his voice strong and hard, yet Todd could hear the fear within his tone. Lucifer snarled, his face contorting in pure rage as sharp teeth glittered against the blue luminescence of his magic.

"You know precisely why you were born, and what you were born to do. Do not think you can cast aside your destiny so lightly." He hissed, his face inches from his son's.

Todd watched as Pepito seemed to shrink, his head ducking as he whimpered, the fear visibly sending tremors through his skin and bones; he had never seen his friend so undoubtedly afraid, it was almost unnerving in itself to see.

Long, bony fingers curled into fists as Pepito rose in defiance, his eyes shifting up to meet his father's. Lucifer snarled, the blue waves of magic shifting to a putrid green, the color dancing across the walls.

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." he spat, clawed and misshapen hands rose from his sides slightly, threatening to kill. "Now do as I command!"

Pepito let out a low growl of his own, meek and subtle compared to his father's, but still enough to take the demon aback. "No." he hissed, lips withdrawing slightly as his sharp teeth shimmered in the sickened light. The demon watched with green eyes, baring his fangs, closing in on the antichrist; a long tail slithered from behind elegant robes, making its way to Pepito's side, wrapping around his right leg tightly.

Todd let out a small squeak as he watched it tighten around his friend, the pain evident in Pepito's stance; he was curling in on himself, but he did not speak.

"_Do as I say…_" Lucifer growled, his tail making it around Pepito's midsection, slicing his clothes, blood staining the floor under his shoes. The half demon cried out, his features contorting in agony as the spiked appendage made its way around his neck, pinning his arms to his side.

Even with the ache pulsing through his flesh and bones, Pepito looked up at his father, the muscles in his face drawing back slightly to reveal his demonic side; his brow was furrowed, wrinkles hardening in anger, his forked tongue revealing itself behind a perfect set of sharp teeth. Red eyes burned into his father's, staring at him with determination like no other. "I am not so little anymore! You cannot tell me what to do! I have free will!"

Todd held his hands over his mouth, trembling, his heart beating so hard that it was no more than a fluttering hum within his chest. He stared at his friend, the pool of blood growing from the cuts around his arms and midsection, and he watched in horror as Pepito let out another shrill cry, despite the demonic look on his face.

Lucifer let out a low sigh and shook his head, his look softening a bit. "This is your last chance, Pepito; Listen to me, do as I say, and this occurrence can be forgotten. If you continue down this path, you _will_ suffer the consequences."

There was a moment of silence as Pepito's face seemed to go back to normal, his eyes widening, as if he had come to a realization. Todd watched in fear, knowing the outcome, and clutched the brick, his feet almost slipping on the ice below him.

The half demon growled, the rumble of it vibrating through Lucifer's tail, and he looked his father in the eyes, his neck extending forward, despite the pain of his skin tearing.

"I am my own master." he hissed deeply within his throat, threatening to lung forward like a serpent as his father's tail loosened, shrugging off his body and retreating back under his robes.

"Very well, child. You leave me no choice." he whispered, his eyes colder than Todd had ever witnessed. Silence fell between them, the cold air stiffening and becoming thick, and Pepito's eyes never left his father's figure.

There as a flash of deep violet, electricity buzzing through the air in the form of a high pitched noise, and Todd watched as Pepito fell to the ground, his knees cracking the ice below him. His ears popped as the half demon let out a scream, black magic swallowing him, _killing_ him, electrocuting the pathways of his veins. The sharp, thrashing bolts of magic encircled the antichrist, illuminating Todd's face with a bright and unnatural lilac, blinding him for a split second like a camera flash.

Todd let out a whimper as Pepito screamed, his jaw wide, his bones stretching to their limits as he curled against the floor, his back arching abnormally. He had to do something, _anything_, before Pepito died from the pain alone.

With all the courage that he could muster, he bolted past Lucifer, running up the stairs, slipping on the ice; he caught himself on the rail, skittering up the stairs as fast as he could before the demon could latch onto his legs.

He stood in the living room, searching for anything that could defeat the evil within his basement, anything to _save Pepito_, and froze as the idea struck him. Todd bolted into the kitchen, glimpsing the walls as fast as he could, listening as Pepito's screams increased in pitch, and his vision locked onto the item he was searching for. A small crucifix hung on the wall next to the stove, and he snatched it with trembling fingers, leaping towards the basement door.

He ran down the stairs, his heart stopping in his throat as the screams ceased to ring, but the purplish glow continued. _Oh God if he dies I don't know what I'll do._ he thought frantically, making his way down the icy steps as fast as he could, despite the fear that raced through his mind.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Satan withdrawing the black magic from the limp form of Pepito, who lay lifeless on the icy ground. Todd's face hardened, tears stinging his eyes as he clutched the cross, holding it up towards the demon. "His light shines in this house, and you have no place here!" he said, his voice meek, but the words having a power of their own.

Lucifer turned to the teen with a look of fear in his eyes, the cold diminishing from the room somewhat, and he hissed, waving a hand away as he burned away into nothing. Silence filled the house once again, the water liquifying into puddles on the concrete floor, and the sickening sense of evil gone.

Todd dropped the cross in his hand, tears streaming down his face as he ran over to Pepito, _hoping_ that he wasn't…

"Pep!" he yelled, taking the antichrist's limp form in his arms, eyes widening to the cuts all over his body. "No, no! Pep, Please! This isn't funny!" he cried, shaking the half demon frantically, his whole body heaving with fear, leaving him in shrill gasps.

_If he doesn't make it, I'll…_

He gritted his teeth, staring down at his friend, his eyes overflowing with tears. _God, please…_

-A/N- Yahoo! next chapter done! weren't expecting the angst, were you? heh heh… I'm so devious…. anyway, please leave a review and tell how you liked it! Find out what happens next in yet another angst-filled chapter!

Oh, and my Squee book that I ordered still hasn't come in… it's been a week… -_-


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